It is known that substituted pyridines may possess herbicidal and plant growth regulating properties (cf., e.g., EP-A-0955300, WO 98/04550, EP-A-0955292, WO 00/75112, WO 01/00580, and WO 99/28301). In some cases, however, in the course of their use, these compounds have disadvantages, such as high persistency or inadequate selectivity in important crops, for example. Furthermore, EP-A-0196184 describes substituted pyridines.
Special 2,6-substituted pyridines have now been found which can be used with advantages as herbicides and plant growth regulators.
The present invention accordingly provides compounds of the formula (I) and/or salts thereof 
in which
R1 is identical or different at each occurrence and is H, halogen, CN, nitro, SF5, (C1-C8)alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfinyl, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, [(C1-C8)alkoxy]-carbonyl, and CN, or is (C2-C8)alkenyl or (C2-C8)alkynyl which are unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
xe2x80x83or is (C1-C8)alkoxy, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl or (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
xe2x80x83or is S(O)pxe2x80x94R7, where
p=0, 1 or 2 and
R7 is (C1-C8)alkyl, (C1-C8)haloalkyl or NR8R9, where
xe2x80x83R8 and R9 independently of one another are identical or different and are H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl, (C7-C10)arylalkyl, (C7-C10)alkylaryl or (C6-C10)aryl, each of the last-mentioned five radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
xe2x80x83or is a group of the formula 
where R10 is (C1-C8)alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, and
xe2x80x83W=O or S,
A is optionally substituted aryl, e.g., an optionally substituted phenyl radical, or is an optionally substituted heterocyclic radical, e.g., an optionally substituted heteroaromatic radical, such as optionally substituted pyridyl, pyrazolyl or thienyl,
X is O or S,
R2,R3,R4, and R5 are identical or different and are H, halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy or (C1-C8)alkyl, each of the two last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
m is 0 or 1,
R6 is H, (C1-C8)alkyl or (C1-C8)alkoxy, each of the two last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfinyl, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, [(C1-C8)alkoxy]-carbonyl, and CN, or is (C2-C8)alkenyl or (C2-C8)alkynyl, which are unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
xe2x80x83or is hydroxyl or an acyl radical such as formyl, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, [(C2-C8)alkenyl]-carbonyl, [(C2-C8)alkynyl]-carbonyl, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, (C2-C8)alkenylsulfonyl or (C2-C8)alkynylsulfonyl, each of the last-mentioned six radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, or is phenylcarbonyl or phenylsulfonyl, the phenyl radical in each of the two last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, NO2, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C1-C8)haloalkyl, and (C1-C8)alkoxy, R6 preferably being other than hydroxyl, and
B is an acyl radical, e.g., [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl such as linear or branched [(C1-C8)-alkyl]-carbonyl or [(C3-C6)cycloalkyl]-carbonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfinyl, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, [(C1-C8)alkoxy]-carbonyl, and CN, or
xe2x80x83is [(C2-C8)alkenyl]-carbonyl or [(C2-C8)alkynyl]-carbonyl, each of the last-mentioned two radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
xe2x80x83or is (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, such as linear or branched C1-C8-alkylsulfonyl or (C3-C8)cycloalkylsulfonyl, or is (C2-C8)alkenylsulfonyl or (C2-C8)alkynylsulfonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
xe2x80x83or is phenylcarbonyl or phenylsulfonyl, the phenyl radical in each of the two last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, NO2, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C1-C8)haloalkyl, and (C1-C8)alkoxy,
xe2x80x83or is mono- or di-[(C1-C8)alkyl]-aminosulfonyl, formyl or a group of the formula xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Rxe2x80x2 in which Rxe2x80x2=H, OH, (C1-C8)-alkoxy or (C1-C8)alkyl, each of the last-mentioned two radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, or
xe2x80x83is a group of the formula 
xe2x80x83in which
W is an oxygen or sulfur atom (i.e., O or S),
T is O or S,
R11 is (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl or (C2-C8)alkynyl, each of the three last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, and [(C1-C8)alkoxy]-carbonyl,
R12 and R13 are identical or different and are H, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C2-C8)alkenyl or (C2-C8)alkynyl, each of the three last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, and [(C1-C8)alkoxy]-carbonyl, and
xe2x80x83the radicals R12 and R13 may together with the nitrogen atom form a heterocyclic radical which has 5 or 6 ring members, may contain further heteratoms from the group consisting of N, O and S, and is unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by (C1-C8)alkyl or an oxo group,
or
B and R6 together form a 4- or 5-membered chain, e.g. of the formula
(xe2x80x94CH2)mxe2x80x94Dxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94D1xe2x80x94(CH2)m1xe2x80x94Dxe2x80x94, the chain being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more, preferably from one to four, (C1-C4)alkyl radicals, D and D1 independently of one another being SO2 or CO, and m=3 or 4 and m1=2 or 3,
with the exception of N-hydroxy-N-[(6-phenoxy-2-pyridyl)methyl]-acetamide and its salts.
In the formula (I) and below, the carbon-containing radicals such as alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, alkylamino and alkylthio radicals and also the corresponding unsaturated and/or substituted radical may in each case be straight-chain or branched in the carbon framework or, for carbon numbers of 3 or more, may also be cyclic. Unless indicated specifically, for these radicals the lower carbon frameworks, e.g., those having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or, in the case of unsaturated groups, those having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, are preferred. Alkyl radicals, both per se and in composite definitions such as alkoxy, haloalkyl, etc. are, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-, i- or cyclo-propyl, n-, i-, t-, 2- or cyclo-butyl, pentyls, hexyls, such as n-hexyl, i-hexyl and 1,3-dimethylbutyl, heptyls, such as n-heptyl, 1-methylhexyl and 1,4-dimethylpentyl; alkenyl and alkynyl radicals have the definition of the possible unsaturated radicals corresponding to the alkyl radicals; alkenyl is, for example, allyl, 1-methylprop-2-en-1-yl, 2-methyl-prop-2-en-1-yl, but-2-en-1-yl, But-3-en-1-yl, 1-methyl-but-3-en-1-yl and 1-methyl-but-2-en-1-yl; alkynyl is, for example, propargyl, but-2-yn-1-yl, but-3-yn-1-yl, 1-methyl-but-3-yn-1-yl.
Halogen is for example fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine. Haloalkyl, haloalkenyl and haloalkynyl are alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl, respectively, which are partly or fully substituted by halogen, preferably by fluorine, chlorine and/or bromine, especially by fluorine or chlorine, examples being CF3, CHF2, CH2F, CF3CF2, CH2FCHCl, CCl3, CHCl2, CH2CH2Cl; haloalkoxy is for example OCF3, OCHF2, OCH2F, CF3CF2O, OCH2CF3 and OCH2CH2Cl; the same applies to haloalkenyl and other halogen-substituted radicals.
A hydrocarbon-containing radical is a straight-chain, branched or cyclic and saturated or unsaturated aliphatic or aromatic radical which contains hydrocarbon units, e.g., alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl or aryl; aryl here is a mono-, bi- or polycyclic aromatic system, such as phenyl, naphthyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, indenyl, indanyl, pentalenyl, fluorenyl and the like, preferably phenyl; a hydrocarbon radical is preferably alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl having up to 12 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl having 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 ring atoms, or phenyl.
Aryl is preferably phenyl substituted by one or more, preferably 1, 2 or 3, radicals from the group consisting of halogen, such as F, Cl, Br, and I, preferably F, Cl, and Br, and also alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, cyano, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, formyl, carbamoyl, mono- and dialkylaminocarbonyl, mono- and dialkylamino, alkylsulfinyl, and alkylsulfonyl, and in the case of the radicals with carbon atoms preference is given to those having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, especially 1 or 2. Preference is generally given to substituents from the group consisting of halogen, e.g., fluorine and chlorine, C1-C4-alkyl, preferably methyl or ethyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, preferably trifluoromethyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, preferably methoxy or ethoxy, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, nitro, and cyano.
A heterocyclic radial or ring (heterocyclyl) can be saturated, unsaturated or heteroaromatic and unsubstituted or substituted, and can also be fused on; it contains preferably one or more heteroatoms in the ring, preferably from the group N, O, and S; it is preferably an aliphatic heterocyclyl radical having from 3 to 7 ring atoms or a heteroaromatic radical having 5 or 6 ring atoms, and contains 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms. The heterocyclic radical may, for example, be a heteroaromatic radical or ring (heteroaryl), such as a mono-, bi- or polycyclic aromatic system in which at least 1 ring contains one or more heteroatoms, or is a partially or fully hydrogenated radical, e.g., pyrrolidyl, piperidyl, pyrazolyl, morpholinyl, indolyl, quinolinyl, pyrimidinyl, triazolyl, oxazolyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrazinyl, thiazolyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, oxazolinyl, isoxazolinyl, isoxazolyl, imidazolyl, and benzoxazolyl. Suitable substituents for a substituted heterocyclic radical include the substituents specified later on below, and also oxo. The oxo group may also occur on the ring heteroatoms, which may exist in different oxidation states, in the case of N and S, for example.
Substituted radicals, such as substituted hydrocarbon-containing radicals, e.g., substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, phenyl, and benzyl, or substituted heterocyclyl or heteroaryl, are for example a substituted radical derived from the unsubstituted parent structure, the substituents being, for example, one or more, preferably 1, 2 or 3, radicals from the group consisting of halogen, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkylthio, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, carboxyl, cyano, azido, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl, formyl, carbamoyl, mono- and dialkylaminocarbonyl, substituted amino, such as acylamino, mono- and dialkylamino, and alkylsulfinyl, haloalkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, haloalkylsulfonyl and, in the case of cyclic radicals, alkyl and haloalkyl as well, and also unsaturated aliphatic radicals corresponding to the saturated hydrocarbon-containing radicals mentioned, such as alkenyl, alkynyl, alkenyloxy, alkynyloxy etc. In the case of radicals with carbon atoms, preference is given to those having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, especially 1 or 2 carbon atoms. Preference is generally given to substituents from the group consisting of halogen, e.g. fluorine and chlorine, (C1-C4)alkyl, preferably methyl or ethyl, (C1-C4)haloalkyl, preferably trifluoromethyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy, preferably methoxy or ethoxy, (C1-C4)haloalkoxy, nitro, and cyano. Particularly preferred substituents among these are methyl, methoxy, cyano and chlorine.
Unsubstituted or substituted phenyl is preferably phenyl which is unsubstituted or substituted one or more times, preferably up to three times, by identical or different radicals from the group consisting of halogen, (C1-C4)alkyl, (C1-C4)alkoxy, (C1-C4)haloalkyl, (C1-C4)haloalkoxy, cyano, and nitro, examples being o-, m- and p-tolyl, dimethylphenyls, 2-, 3- and 4-chlorophenyl, 2-, 3- and 4-trifluoro- and -trichlorophenyl, 2,4-, 3,5-, 2,5- and 2,3-dichlorophenyl, and o-, m- and p-cyanophenyl.
An acyl radical is a radical of an organic acid formed formally by eliminating an OH group from the organic acid, e.g., the radical of a carboxylic acid and radicals of acids derived therefrom such as the thiocarboxylic acid, unsubstituted or N-substituted iminocarboxylic acids or the radicals of carbonic monoesters, unsubstituted or N-substituted carbamic acids, sulfonic acids, sulfinic acids, phosphonic acids, and phosphinic acids.
An acyl radical is preferably formyl or aliphatic acyl from the group consisting of COxe2x80x94Rx, CSxe2x80x94Rx, COxe2x80x94ORx, COxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Rx, CSxe2x80x94ORx, CSxe2x80x94SRx, SORY or SO2RY, Rx and RY each being a C1-C10 hydrocarbon radical which is unsubstituted or substituted, or aminocarbonyl or aminosulfonyl, the two last-mentioned radicals being unsubstituted, N-monosubstituted or N,N-disubstituted. Acyl is for example formyl, haloalkylcarbonyl, alkylcarbonyl such as (C1-C4)alkylcarbonyl, phenylcarbonyl, it being possible for the phenyl ring to be substituted, as indicated above for phenyl, for example, or alkyloxycarbonyl, phenyloxycarbonyl, benzyloxycarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, N-alkyl-1-iminoalkyl, and other radicals of organic acids.
The invention provides all stereoisomers embraced by formula (I), and mixtures thereof. Such compounds of the formula (I) contain one or more asymmetric carbon atoms or else double bonds, which are not indicated specifically in the general formulae (I). The possible stereoisomers defined by their specific three-dimensional form, such as enantiomers, diastereomers, Z-isomers and E-isomers, are all embraced by the formula (I) and may be obtained by standard methods from mixtures of the stereoisomers or else may be prepared by stereoselective reactions in combination with the use of stereochemically pure starting materials.
The compounds of the formula (I) may form saltsxe2x80x94for example those where the nitrogen atom of the pyridine or, where appropriate, a further heteroatom is in protonated form. These salts are, for example, salts of mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, and sulfuric acid, or else salts of organic acids such as formic acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid or aromatic carboxylic acids such as benzoic acids.
Preference is given to compounds of the formula (I) and/or salts thereof in which
R1 is identical or different at each occurrence and is H, halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkyl or (C1-C8)alkoxy, each of the last-mentioned two radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
A is a phenyl radical or a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic radical such as a 5- or 6-membered N- or S-containing heteroaromatic radical, the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C1-C8)alkoxy halo(C1-C8)alkyl. halo(C1-C8)alkyloxy, halo(C1-C8)alkylthio, and (C1-C8)alkoxy-(C1-C8)alkoxy,
X is O or S,
R2 and R3 are identical or different and are H or (C1-C8)alkyl, the alkyl radical being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
m is 0,
R6 is H, formyl, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C3-C8)alkenyl, (C3-C8)alkynyl, (C1-C8)-alkoxy or [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, each of the last-mentioned five radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, and
B is an acyl radical such as [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl such as linear or branched [(C1-C8)-alkyl]-carbonyl or [(C3-C6)cycloalkyl]-carbonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfinyl, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, [(C1-C8) alkoxy]-carbonyl, and CN, or is [(C2-C8)alkenyl]-carbonyl or [(C2-C8)alkynyl]-carbonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8) alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, such as linear or branched C1-C8-alkylsulfonyl or (C3-C8)cycloalkylsulfonyl, or (C2-C8)alkenylsulfonyl or (C2-C8)alkynylsulfonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio.
Particular preference is given to compounds of the formula (I) and/or salts thereof in which
R1 in position 3 and in position 5 of the pyridine ring, identical or different at each occurrence, is H or halogen, preferably fluorine or chlorine, and
R1 in position 4 of the pyridine ring is H, halogen, preferably fluorine or chlorine, CN, (C1-C8)alkyl or (C1-C8)alkoxy, each of the last-mentioned two radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
A is a group of the formula (Axe2x80x2) 
xe2x80x83in which R14 is identical or different at each occurrence and is halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C1-C8)alkoxy or (C1-C8)alkylthio, each of the last-mentioned three radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, e.g., (C1-C8)haloalkyl, (C1-C8)haloalkyloxy, (C1-C8)haloalkylthio or (C1-C8)alkoxy(C1-C8)alkyloxy,
I is 1 or 2,
V is CH, C(R14) or N(C1-C8-alkyl) such as N(CH3),
W is N, S, Nxe2x80x94CH, Nxe2x80x94C(R14), CHxe2x80x94CH, CHxe2x80x94C(R14) or C(R14)xe2x80x94C(R14),
R2 and R3 are identical or different and are H or (C1-C8)alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio,
m is 0,
R6 is H or (C1-C4)alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, and
B is an acyl radical such as [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl such as linear or branched [(C1-C8)-alkyl]-carbonyl or [(C3-C6)cycloalkyl]-carbonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfinyl, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl, [(C1-C8) alkoxy]-carbonyl, and CN, or is [(C2-C8)alkenyl]-carbonyl or [(C2-C8)alkynyl]carbonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8) alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio, (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, such as linear or branched C1-C8-alkylsulfonyl or (C3-C8)cycloalkylsulfonyl, or (C2-C8)alkenylsulfonyl or (C2-C8)alkynylsulfonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted, for example, by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio.
Of particular interest are inventive compounds of the formula (I) and/or salts thereof in which
A is a phenyl, pyridyl, pyrazolyl or thienyl radical which is attached to X via a carbon atom and is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, CN, (C1-C8)alkyl, (C1-C8)alkoxy, (C1-C8)haloalkyl, (C1-C8)haloalkylthio, (C1-C8)haloalkyloxy, and (C1-C8)alkoxyalkyloxy. Preferred radicals A are those in which a substituted R14 is present in position 3 of the radical A, relative to the carbon atom which is attached to the group X in the formula (I).
Particularly preferred compounds of the formula (I) and/or salts thereof are those in which A is a substituted phenyl, pyridyl, thienyl or pyrazolyl radical of the following formula 
in which
R14 is identical or different at each occurrence and is halogen, cyano or an optionally substituted (C1-C8)alkyl group, such as (C1-C8)haloalkyl, preferably CF3 or cyano,
R15 is a (C1-C8)alkyl group, preferably methyl, and
Ixe2x80x2 is an integer from 0 to 4, preferably 0 or 1; preferably, A is 
Very particular preference is given to compounds of the formula (Ixe2x80x2) and/or salts thereof 
in which R1, R2, R3, R6, R14, and X are as defined in formula (I), including the ranges of preference indicated above,
L is identical or different at each occurrence and is H or halogen such as fluorine or chlorine,
W-V together are Nxe2x80x94CHxe2x80x94CH, Sxe2x80x94CH, CHxe2x80x94CHxe2x80x94CH or Nxe2x80x94N(CH3), and
B is an acyl radical such as [(C1-C8)alkyl]-carbonyl such as linear or branched [(C1-C8)-alkyl]-carbonyl or [(C3-C6)cycloalkyl]-carbonyl, or (C1-C8)alkylsulfonyl, such as linear or branched C1-C8-alkylsulfonyl or (C3-C8)cycloalkylsulfonyl, each of the radicals being unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group consisting of halogen, especially fluorine or chlorine, CN, (C1-C8)-alkoxy, and (C1-C8)alkylthio.
The inventive compounds of the formula (I) can be prepared by known methods. The following are examples of syntheses that are of particular interest.
Starting from compounds of the formula (II) 
in which the radicals R1 are as defined for formula (I) and Lxe2x80x2 is a leaving group such as halogen or pseudohalogen or a group of the formula Axe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94, where A and X are as defined for formula (I), it is possible, by a route known from the literature, first to alkylate the oxygen of the N-oxide and then react the product with cyanides to give nitriles of the formula (III) (see, for example, W. R. Fife and E. F. V. Seriven, Heterocycles 22, 2375 (1984) and literature cited therein), 
in which R1 and Lxe2x80x2 are as defined for formula (II).
Pyridine N-oxides of the formula (II) can be prepared by various processes from suitably substituted pyridines. General synthesis methods are described, for example, in A. Albini and S. Pietra, Heterocyclic N-Oxides, CRS-Press, Inc., Boca Raton, USA, 1991.
As alkylating agents for compounds of the formula (II) it is possible with preference to use alkylhalogens or alkylpseudohalogens such as dimethyl sulfate or methyl iodide; examples of cyanides used are alkali metal or alkaline earth metal cyanides or cyanides of organic bases such as quaternary ammonium salts (see, for example, Ellman, Tetrahedron 41 (1985) 4941-4948).
Compounds of the formula (III) in which Lxe2x80x2 is a leaving group such as halogen or pseudohalogen can be reacted with compounds of the formula (IV) or salts thereof
Axe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94Hxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IV)
where A and X are as defined for formula (I) to give compounds of the formula (III) (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,080,861, 6,130,188, and WO 94/22833 and literature cited therein) in which Lxe2x80x2 is a group of the formula Axe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94. The compounds of the formula (III) in which Lxe2x80x2 is a group Axe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94 in which A, X, and R1 are as defined for formula (I) can be converted by suitable reduction methods into the amino compounds of the formula (V). 
The reduction of nitriles to amines is diversely described in the literature (see, for example, Eugen Mxc3xcller, Methoden der organischen Chemie (Houben-Weyl) volume XI/1, Nitrogen compounds II, p. 343 ff., Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 1957). Suitable hydrogenations include those catalyzed by noble metals, with palladium- and platinum-catalyzed reactions being of particular interest but reductions with Raney nickel also being possible.
Compounds of the formula (V) can be reacted with acylating reagents such as acid halides, isocyanates, carbamoyl chlorides, chloroformic esters, sulfonyl chlorides, sulfamoyl chlorides, sulfenyl chlorides or isothiocyanates to give compounds of the formula (I) in which R6=H, m=0 and A, X, R1, R2, R3, and B are as defined for formula (I). An entry point to general and specific chemical methods of acylation can be found, for example, in: Jerry March, Advanced Organic Chemistry (Reaction, Mechanisms and Structure 4th Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1992).
The compounds of the formula (I) in which R6 is, for example, an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group are obtainable starting from compounds of the formula (V), which are alkylated with corresponding aldehydes, by reductive alkylation, to give compounds of the formula (VI) (ref.: Rylander Hydrogenation Methods, Academic Press, New York, 1985 pp. 92-93). 
Compounds of the formula (VI) are also obtainable by reducing the corresponding amides (see, for example, Example 3a) (see, for example, Gaylord, Reduction with Complex Metal Hydrides, Wiley, N.Y. 1956, pp. 322-373). Suitable for this purpose are, for example, borane complexes such as borane-tetrahydrofuran complexes or borane-dimethyl sulfide complexes (see, for example, Brown G. R, A. J. Foubister, J. Chem. Soc. Perk. T. 1 (8), 1401-1403 (1989)). The compounds of the formula (VI) can then be acylated, by known methods. Compounds of the formula (VI) where R6=optionally substituted alkenyl or alkynyl are available by reductive amination from compounds of the formula (III). The compounds of the formula (VI) can then be acylated by known methods to give compounds of the formula (I). Compounds of the formula (I) where R6=acyl are obtainable, for example, by known methods, by appropriate N-acylation of compounds of the formula (VI) where R6=H.
Compounds of the formula (I) where R6=hydroxyl and alkoxy are obtainable, for example, in accordance with the following reaction scheme: 
Nitriles of the formula (III) can be converted reductively into aldehydes of the formula (XII) (see, for example, Miller, Biss, Schwartzmann; J. Org. Chem. 1970, 35, 858; or Jerry March. Advanced Organic Chemistry (Reaction, Mechanisms and Structure) 4th Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1992, pp. 919, 920). The aldehydes of the formula (XII) can be reduced by known methods to the corresponding alcohols of the formula (XIII) (see, for example, Hudlicky, Reductions in Organic Chemistry; Ellis Horwood; Chichester 1984, pp. 96-129. For list of possible reagents see Larock; Comprehensive Organic Transformations VCH: New York, 1989, p. 993). The hydroxyl groups of the alcohols of the formula (XIII) can then be converted into leaving groups Lxe2x80x2. As a leaving group it is possible, for example, to introduce halogens such as chlorine or bromine (see, for example, Wiley, Hershkowitz, Rein Chung, J. Am. Chem. Soc 1964, 86, 964 Schaefer, Weinberg J. Org. Chem. 1965, 30, 2635) or sulfonic ester groups such as tosylates or mesylates (see, for example, Crossland, Wells, Shiner; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1971, 93, 4217). The compounds of the formula (XIV) can then be reacted with hydroxylamines or with O-alkylated hydroxylamines to give compounds of the formula (VI) in which R6=hydroxyl or alkoxy. These reactions are preferably conducted in the presence of organic or inorganic bases in an inert solvent. The compounds of the formula (VI) where R6 is other than H, and m=0 can then be acylated as indicated above for compounds of the formula (V) by known methods to give compounds of the formula (I).
Compounds of the formula (I) where m is 1 can be prepared, for example, as described below: 
Compounds of the formula (VII) where A, X, and R1 are as defined for formula (I) and Lxe2x80x2 is a leaving group such as halogen or pseudohalogen or is a substitutable heteroaryloxy group Axe2x80x94X can be reacted with unsubstituted or substituted alkyl cyanoacetates of the formula (VIII), R2 as being defined for formula (I), preferably using (C1-C6)alkyl esters (ref.: N. Desideri F. Manna, J. Heterocycl. Chem., 25 (1), 333-335, 1988).
The ester groups of the compounds of the formula (IX) can then be converted into the free carboxylic acids. This can be done, for example, by basic hydrolysis of the alkyl esters or else may be carried out under acidic, hydrolysis conditions, with the carboxylic acid groups subsequently being decarboxylated under, for example, acidic conditions to give compounds of the formula (X) (ref.: N. Desideri; F. Manna, J. Heterocycl. Chem., 25 (1), 333-335, 1988). In formula (X) A, X, R1, and R2 have the definition indicated for formula (I).
The cyano compounds of the formula (X) that are obtainable in this way can be converted into the corresponding amino compounds of the formula (X) by means of suitable reduction methods, as already described for the preparation of the amines of the formula (V) from the nitrites of the formula (III). The amines of the formula (XI) that are obtainable in this way can be reacted in analogy to the amines of the formula (V) to give compounds of the formula (I) in which A, X, R1, R2, R6, and B are as defined for formula (I).
Banks of compounds of the formula (I) and salts thereof which can be synthesized in accordance with the schemes indicated above may also be prepared in a parallelized way, which can be implemented manually, with partial automation or with full automation. It is possible, for example, to automate the implementation of the reaction, the workup, or the purification of the products and/or intermediates. By an automated synthesis of this kind is meant, overall, a procedure such as is described, for example, by S. H. DeWitt in xe2x80x9cAnnual Reports in Combinatorial Chemistry and Molecular Diversity: Automated Synthesisxe2x80x9d, volume 1, Escom 1997, pages 69 to 77.
For parallelized reaction implementation and workup it is possible to use a range of commercially available instruments, such as those offered, for example, by Stem Corporation, Woodrolfe Road, Tollesbury, Essex, England, H+P Labortechnik GmbH, Bruckmannring 28, 85764 Oberschleixcex2heim, Germany or Radleys, Shire Hill, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB 11 :3AZ, England. For the parallelized purification of compounds of the formula (I) and salts thereof and/or of intermediates resulting during the production, chromatography apparatus, inter alia, is available, for example, from ISCO Inc., 4700 Superior Street, Lincoln, Nebr. 68504, USA. The apparatus listed leads to a modular procedure in which the individual worksteps are automated although it is necessary to carry out manual operations between the worksteps. This can be avoided by using partly or fully integrated automation systems where the respective automation modules are operated, for example, by robots. Automation systems of this kind can be purchased, for example, from Zymark Corporation, Zymark Center, Hopkinton, Mass. 01748, USA.
In addition to the methods described here, compounds of the formula (I) and salts thereof can be prepared completely or partly by means of solid-phase-aided methods. For this purpose, some or all of the synthesis intermediates or the intermediates of a synthesis adapted to suit the procedure in question are bound to a synthetic resin. Solid-phase-aided synthesis methods are described extensively in the specialist literature, for example, by Barry A. Bunin in xe2x80x9cThe Combinatorial Indexxe2x80x9d, Academic Press, 1998.
The use of solid-phase-aided synthesis methods allows a series of protocols known from the literature, which in turn can be carried out manually or in automated fashion. For example, the teabag method (Houghten, U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,211; Houghten et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, 1985, 82, 5131-5135) can be partly automated with products from IRORI 11149 North Torrey Pines Road. La Jolla. Calif. 92037. USA. Solid-phase-aided parallel syntheses are successfully automated, for example, by means of apparatus from Argonaut Technologies Inc., 887 Industrial Road, San Carlos, Calif. 94070, USA or MultiSynTech GmbH, Wullener Feld 4, 58454 Witten, Germany. Preparation in accordance with the processes described herein provides compounds of the formula (I) and salts thereof in the form of banks of substances which are referred to as libraries. The present invention further provides libraries comprising at least two compounds of the formula (I) and salts thereof.
The inventive compounds of the formula (I) and their salts, referred to collectively below as compounds of the formula (I) (of the invention), exhibit an excellent herbicidal activity against a broad spectrum of economically important monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weed plants. Even perennial weeds which are difficult to control and which produce shoots from rhizomes, rootstocks or other perennial organs are effectively controlled by the compounds of the invention. The compounds of the invention can be applied, for example, pre-sowing, pre-emergence or post-emergence. Specific examples may be given of some representatives of the monocot and dicot weed flora which can be controlled by the compounds of the invention, without such naming being intended to represent any restriction to specific species.
On the side of the monocot weed species, for example, Avena, Lolium, Alopecurus, Phalaris, Echinochloa, Digitaria, Setaria, and also Bromus species and Cyperus species, from the annual group, and Agropyron, Cynodon, Imperata, and Sorghum, and also perennial Cyperus species, on the side of the perennial species, are effectively controlled.
In the case of dicot weed species, the activity spectrum extends to species such as, for example, Galium, Viola, Veronica, Lamium, Stellaria, Amaranthus, Sinapis, Ipomoea, Matricaria, Abutilon, and Sida, on the annual side, and also Convolvulus, Cirsium, Rumex and Artemisia among the perennial weeds. Weed plants which occur under the specific growing conditions in rice, such as Echinochloa, Sagittaria, Alisma, Eleocharis, Scirpus, and Cyperus, for example, are likewise controlled to outstanding effect by the compounds of the invention.
Where the compounds of the invention are applied to the soil surface prior to germination, then either the weed seedlings are prevented completely from emerging or else the weeds grow until they reach the cotyledon stage but then their growth stops and eventually, after three to four weeks have elapsed, they die off completely.
Where the compounds of the invention are applied post-emergence to the green parts of the plants, growth also stops sharply a very short time after treatment, and the weed plants remain at the developmental stage they were in at the time of application, or they die off completely after a certain time, so that weed competition, which is harmful for the crop plants, is eliminated sustainedly and at a very early stage.
Although the compounds of the invention exhibit an excellent herbicidal activity against monocot and dicot weeds, there is negligible if any damage to plants of economically important crops, examples including dicotyledonous crops such as soya, cotton, oilseed rape, sugar beet, especially soya, or gramineous crops such as wheat, barley, rye, rice or corn. For these reasons, the present compounds are highly suitable for selectively controlling unwanted plant growth in plantings of agricultural crops or decorative plants.
In addition, the compounds of the invention have outstanding growth-regulating properties in crop plants. They engage in the plant metabolism in a regulating manner and can thus be employed for the targeted control of plant constituents and for facilitating harvesting, such as for example by provoking desiccation and stunted growth. Furthermore, they are also suitable for generally regulating and inhibiting undesirable vegetative growth, without destroying the plants in the process. Inhibition of vegetative growth plays an important role in many monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous crops because lodging can be reduced thereby or prevented completely. Owing to their herbicidal and plant growth regulatory properties, the active compounds can also be employed for controlling harmful plants in crops of known or still to be developed genetically engineered plants. The transgenic plants generally have particular advantageous properties, for example resistance to certain pesticides, in particular certain herbicides, resistance to plant diseases or causative organisms of plant diseases, such as certain insects or microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria or viruses. Other particular properties relate, for example, to the quantity, quality, storage stability, composition and to specific ingredients of the harvested product. Thus, transgenic plants having an increased starch content or a modified quality of the starch or those having a different fatty acid composition of the harvested product are known.
The use of the compounds of the formula (I) according to the invention or their salts in economically important transgenic crops of useful and ornamental plants, for example of cereals, such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, millet, rice, manioc and corn, or else in crops of sugar beet, cotton, soy, oilseed rape, potato, tomato, pea and other vegetable species is preferred.
The compounds of the formula (I) can preferably be used as herbicides in crops of useful plants which are resistant or which have been made resistant by genetic engineering toward the phytotoxic effects of the herbicides.
Conventional ways of preparing novel plants which have modified properties compared to known plants comprise, for example, traditional breeding methods and the generation of mutants. Alternatively, novel plants having modified properties can be produced with the aid of genetic engineering methods (see, for example, EP-A-0221044, EP-A-0131624). For example, there have been described several cases of
genetically engineered changes in crop plants in order to modify the starch synthesized in the plants (for example WO 92/11376, WO 92/14827 and WO 91/19806),
transgenic crop plants which are resistant to certain herbicides of the glufosinate type (cf., for example, EP-A-0242236, EP-A-0242246) or glyphosate type (WO 92/00377), or of the sulfonylurea type (EP-A-0257993, U.S. Pat. No. 5013659),
transgenic crop plants, for example cotton, having the ability to produce Bacillus thuringiensis toxins (Bt toxins) which impart resistance to certain pests to the plants (EP-A-0142924, EP-A-0193259),
transgenic crop plants having a modified fatty acid composition (WO 91/13972).
Numerous molecular biological techniques which allow the preparation of novel transgenic plants having modified properties are known in principle; see, for example, Sambrook et al., 1989, Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2nd ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.; or Winnacker xe2x80x9cGene und Klonexe2x80x9d [Genes and Clones], VCH Weinheim, 2nd edition 1996, or Christou, xe2x80x9cTrends in Plant Sciencexe2x80x9d 1 (1996) 423-431).
In order to carry out such genetic engineering manipulations, it is possible to introduce nucleic acid molecules into plasmids which allow a mutagenesis or a change in the sequence to, occur by recombination of DNA sequences. Using the abovementioned standard processes it is possible, for example, to exchange bases, to remove partial sequences or to add natural or synthetic sequences. To link the DNA fragments with each other, it is possible to attach adaptors or linkers to the fragments.
Plant cells having a reduced activity of a gene product can be prepared, for example, by expressing at least one appropriate antisense-RNA, a sense-RNA to achieve a cosuppression effect, or by expressing at least one appropriately constructed ribozyme which specifically cleaves transcripts of the abovementioned gene product.
To this end, it is possible to employ both DNA molecules which comprise the entire coding sequence of a gene product, including any flanking sequences that may be present, and DNA molecules which comprise only parts of the coding sequence, it being necessary for these parts to be long enough to cause an antisense effect in the cells. It is also possible to use DNA sequences which have a high degree of homology to the coding sequences of a gene product but which are not entirely identical.
When expressing nucleic acid molecules in plants, the synthesized protein can be localized in any desired compartment of the plant cell. However, to achieve localization in a certain compartment, it is, for example, possible to link the coding region with DNA sequences which ensure localization in a certain compartment. Such sequences are known to the person skilled in the art (see, for example, Braun et al., EMBO J. 11 (1992), 3219-3227; Wolter et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85 (1988), 846-850; Sonnewald et al., Plant J. 1 (1991), 95-106).
The transgenic plant cells can be regenerated to whole plants using known techniques. The transgenic plants can in principle be plants of any desired plant species, i.e. both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants.
In this manner, it is possible to obtain transgenic plants which have modified properties by overexpression, suppression or inhibition of homologous (=natural) genes or gene sequences or by expression of heterologous (=foreign) genes or gene sequences.
The compounds (I) according to the invention can preferably be used in transgenic crops which are resistant to herbicides selected from the group consisting of the sulfonylureas, glufosinate-ammonium or glyphosate-isopropylammonium and analogous active compounds.
When using the active compounds according to the invention in transgenic crops, in addition to the effects against harmful plants which can be observed in other crops, there are frequently effects which are specific for the application in the respective transgenic crop, for example a modified or specifically broadened spectrum of weeds which can be controlled, modified application rates which can be used for the application, preferably good combinability with the herbicides to which the transgenic crop is resistant, and an effect on the growth and the yield of the transgenic crop plants.
The invention therefore also provides for the use of the compounds (I) according to the invention as herbicides for controlling weed plants in transgenic crop plants.
The compounds according to the invention can be applied in the customary formulations in the form of wettable powders, emulsifiable concentrates, sprayable solutions, dusts or granules. The invention therefore also provides herbicidal and plant-growth-regulating compositions comprising compounds of the formula (I).
The compounds of the formula (I) can be formulated in various ways depending on the prevailing biological and/or chemico-physical parameters. Examples of suitable formulation options are: wettable powders (WP), water-soluble powders (SP), water-soluble concentrates, emulsifiable concentrates (EC), emulsions (EW), such as oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions, sprayable solutions, suspension concentrates (SC), oil- or water-based dispersions, oil-miscible solutions, capsule suspensions (CS), dusts (DP), seed-dressing compositions, granules for broadcasting and soil application, granules (GR) in the form of microgranules, spray granules, coating granules and adsorption granules, water-dispersible granules (WG), water-soluble granules (SG), ULV formulations, microcapsules and waxes.
These individual formulation types are known in principle and are described, for example, in Winnacker-Kxc3xcchler, xe2x80x9cChemische Technologiexe2x80x9d [Chemical Technology], Volume 7, C. Hauser Verlag Munich, 4th edition 1986; Wade van Valkenburg, xe2x80x9cPesticide Formulationsxe2x80x9d, Marcel Dekker, N.Y., 1973; K. Martens, xe2x80x9cSpray Dryingxe2x80x9d Handbook, 3rd ed. 1979, G. Goodwin Ltd. London.
The necessary formulation auxiliaries, such as inert materials, surfactants, solvents and other additives, are likewise known and are described, for example, in: Watkins, xe2x80x9cHandbook of Insecticide Dust Diluents and Carriersxe2x80x9d, 2nd ed., Darland Books, Caldwell N. J., H. v. Olphen, xe2x80x9cIntroduction to Clay Colloid Chemistryxe2x80x9d; 2nd ed., J. Wiley and Sons, N.Y.; C. Marsden, xe2x80x9cSolvents Guidexe2x80x9d; 2nd ed., Interscience, N.Y. 1963; McCutcheon""s xe2x80x9cDetergents and Emulsifiers Annualxe2x80x9d, MC Publ. Corp., Ridgewood N.J.; Sisley and Wood, xe2x80x9cEncyclopedia of Surface Active Agentsxe2x80x9d. Chem. Publ. Co. Inc., N.Y. 1964; Schxc3x6nfeldt, xe2x80x9cGrenzflxc3xa4chenaktive xc3x84thylenoxidadduktexe2x80x9d [Surface-active ethylene oxide adducts], Wiss. Verlagsgesell., Stuttgart 1976; Winnacker-Kxc3xcchler, xe2x80x9cChemische Technologiexe2x80x9d [Chemical Technology], Volume 7, C. Hauser Verlag Munich, 4th edition 1986.
Based on these formulations it is also possible to produce combinations with other pesticidally active substances, for example insecticides, acaricides, herbicides and fungicides, and also with safeners, fertilizers and/,or growth regulators, for example in the form of a ready-mix or tank mix.
Wettable powders are preparations which are uniformly dispersible in water and which, in addition to the active compound and as well as a diluent or inert substance, also contain surfactants of ionic and/or nonionic type (wetting agents, dispersants), for example polyethoxylated alkyl phenols, polyethoxylated fatty alcohols, polyethoxylated fatty amines, fatty alcohol polyglycol ether sulfates, alkanesulfonates, alkylbenzenesulfonates, sodium ligninsulfonate, sodium 2,2xe2x80x2-dinaphthylmethane-6,6xe2x80x2-disulfonate, sodium dibutylnaphthalenesulfonate or else sodium oleoylmethyltaurinate. To prepare the wettable powders, the herbicidally active compounds are finely ground, for example in customary apparatuses such as hammer mills, fan mills and air-jet mills, and are mixed simultaneously or subsequently with the formulation auxiliaries.
Emulsifiable concentrates are prepared by dissolving the active compound in an organic solvent, for example butanol, cyclohexanone, dimethylformamide, xylene or else relatively high-boiling aromatics or hydrocarbons or mixtures of the organic solvents, with the addition of one or more surfactants of ionic and/or nonionic type (emulsifiers). Examples of emulsifiers which can be used are calcium alkylarylsulfonates, such as Ca dodecylbenzenesulfonate, or nonionic emulsifiers, such as fatty acid polyglycol esters, alkylaryl polyglycol ethers, fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers, propylene oxide-ethylene oxide condensation products, alkyl polyethers, sorbitan esters, for example sorbitan fatty acid esters or polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters, for example polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters.
Dusts are obtained by grinding the active compound with finely divided solid substances, for example talc, natural clays, such as kaolin, bentonite and pyrophyllite, or diatomaceous earth.
Suspension concentrates can be water- or oil-based. They can be prepared, for example, by wet milling using commercially customary bead mills, with or without the addition of surfactants as already mentioned above, for example, in the case of the other formulation types.
Emulsions, for example oil-in-water emulsions (EW), can be prepared for example by means of stirrers, colloid mills and/or static mixers using aqueous organic solvents and, if desired, surfactants as already mentioned above, for example, in the case of the other formulation types.
Granules can be prepared either by spraying the active compound onto adsorptive, granulated inert material or by applying active-compound concentrates to the surface of carriers such as sand, kaolinites or granulated inert material, by means of adhesive binders, for example polyvinyl alcohol, sodium polyacrylate or else mineral oils. Suitable active compounds can also be granulated in the manner which is customary for the preparation of fertilizer granules, if desired as a mixture with fertilizers.
Water-dispersible granules are generally prepared by the customary processes, such as spray-drying, fluidized-bed granulation, disk granulation, mixing using high-speed mixers, and extrusion without solid inert material.
For the preparation of disk, fluidized-bed, extruder and spray granules, see for example processes in xe2x80x9cSpray-Drying Handbookxe2x80x9d 3rd ed. 1979, G. Goodwin Ltd., London; J. E. Browning, xe2x80x9cAgglomerationxe2x80x9d, Chemical and Engineering 1967, pages 147 ff; xe2x80x9cPerry""s Chemical Engineer""s Handbookxe2x80x9d, 5th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York 1973. pp. 8-57.
For further details on the formulation of crop protection products, see for example G. C. Klingman, xe2x80x9cWeed Control as a Sciencexe2x80x9d, John Wiley and Sons., Inc., New York, 1961, pages 81-96 and J. D. Freyer, S. A. Evans, xe2x80x9cWeed Control Handbookxe2x80x9d, 5th ed., Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 1968, pages 101-103.
The agrochemical formulations generally contain from 0.1 to 99% by weight, in particular from 0.1 to 95% by weight, of active compound of the formula (I) and/or salts thereof.
In wettable powders the concentration of active compound is, for example, from about 10 to 90% by weight, the remainder to 100% by weight consisting of customary formulation constituents. In emulsifiable concentrates the concentration of active compound can be from about 1 to 90%, preferably from 5 to 80%, by weight. Formulations in the form of dusts contain from 1 to 30% by weight of active compound, preferably most commonly from 5 to 20% by weight of active compound, while sprayable solutions contain from about 0.05 to 80%, preferably from 2 to 50%, by weight of active compound. In the case of water-dispersible granules, the content of active compound depends partly on whether the active compound is in liquid or solid form and on the granulation auxiliaries, fillers, etc. that are used. In water-dispersible granules the content of active compound, for example, is between 1 and 95% by weight, preferably between 10 and 80% by weight.
In addition, said formulations of active compound may comprise the tackifiers, wetting agents, dispersants, emulsifiers, penetrants, preservatives, antifreeze agents, solvents, fillers, carriers, colorants, antifoams, evaporation inhibitors and pH and viscosity regulators which are customary in each case.
Suitable active compounds which can be combined with the active compounds according to the invention in mixed formulations or in a tank mix are, for example, known active compounds such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides or safeners, as described, for example, in Weed Research 26, 441-445 (1986), or in xe2x80x9cThe Pesticide Manualxe2x80x9d, 11th edition, The British Crop Protection Council and the Royal Soc. of Chemistry, 1997, and in the literature cited therein. For example, the following active compounds may be mentioned as herbicides which are known and which can be combined with the compounds of the formula (I) (Note: the compounds are either referred to by the xe2x80x9ccommon namexe2x80x9d in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or by the chemical names, if appropriate together with a customary code number): acetochlor; acifluorfen; aclonifen; AKH 7088, i.e. [[[1-[5-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrophenyl]-2-methoxyethylidene]-amino]-oxy]-acetic acid and its methyl ester; alachlor; alloxydim; ametryn; amidosulfuron; amitrol; AMS, i.e. ammonium sulfamate; anilofos; asulam; atrazine; azafenidin; azimsulfuron (DPX-A8947); aziprotryn; barban; BAS 516 H. i.e. 5-fluoro-2-phenyl-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one; BAS 620 H; BAS 65400H; BAY FOE 5043; benazolin; benfluralin; benfuresate; bensulfuron-methyl; bensulide; bentazone; benzofenap; benzofluor; benzoylprop-ethyl; benzthiazuron; bialaphos; bifenox; bispyribac-Na; bromacil; bromobutide; bromofenoxim; bromoxynil; bromuron; buminafos; busoxinone; butachlor; butamifos; butenachlor; buthidazole; butralin; butroxydim; butylate; cafenstrole (CH-900); caloxydim; carbetamide; cafentrazone-ethyl; CDAA, i.e. 2-chloro-N,N-di-2-propenylacetamide; CDEC, i.e. 2-chloroallyl diethyidithiocarbamate; chlomethoxyfen; chloramben; chlorazifop-butyl; chlorbromuron; chlorbufam; chlorfenac; chlorflurecol-methyl; chloridazon; chlorimuronethyl; chlornitrofen; chlorotoluron; chloroxuron; chlorpropham; chlorsulfuron; chlorthal-dimethyl; chlorthiamid; cinmethylin; cinosulfuron; clethodim; clodinafop and its ester derivatives (for example clodinafop-propargyl); clomazone; clomeprop; cloproxydim; clopyralid; cloransulam-methyl; cumyluron (JC 940); cyanazine; cycloate; cyclosulfamuron (AC 104); cycloxydim; cycluron; cyhalofop and its ester derivatives (for example butyl-ester, DEH-112); cyperquat; cyprazine; cyprazole; daimuron; 2,4-DB; dalapon; desmedipham; desmetryn; di-allate; dicamba; dichlobenil; dichlorprop; diclofop and its esters such as diclofop-methyl; diclosulam, i.e., N-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-5-ethoxy-7-fluoro-[1,2,4]triazolo [1,5-c]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide; diethatyl; difenoxuron; difenzoquat; diflufenican; diflufenzopyr (BAS 654 00H); dimefuron; dimethachlor; dimethametryn; dimethenamid (SAN-582H); dimethazone, clomazon; dimethipin; dimetrasulfuron, dinitramine; dinoseb; dinoterb; diphenamid; dipropetryn; diquat; dithiopyr; diuron; DNOC; eglinazine-ethyl; EL 77, i.e. 5-cyano-1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-N-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide; endothal; EPTC; esprocarb; ethalfluralin; ethametsulfuron-methyl; ethidimuron; ethiozin; ethofumesate; F5231, i.e. N-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-[4-(3-fluoropropyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-tetrazol-1-yl]phenyl]ethanesulfonamide; ethoxyfen and its esters (for example ethyl ester, HN-252); etobenzanid (HW 52); fenoprop; fenoxan, fenoxaprop and fenoxaprop-P and their esters, for example fenoxaprop-P-ethyl and fenoxaprop-ethyl; fenoxydim; fenuron; flamprop-methyl; flazasulfuron; fluazifop and fluazifop-P and their esters, for example fluazifop-butyl and fluazifop-P-butyl; fluchloralin; flumetsulam; flumeturon; flumiclorac and its esters (for example pentyl ester, S-23031); flumioxazin (S-482); flumipropyn; flupoxam (KNW-739); fluorodifen; fluoroglycofen-ethyl; flupropacil (UBIC4243); flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium fluridone; flurochloridone; fluroxypyr; flurtamone; fluthiacet-methyl; fomesafen; foramsulfuron and its salts; fosamine; furyloxyfen; glufosinate; glyphosate; halosafen; halosulfuron and its esters (for example the methyl ester, NC-319); haloxyfop and its esters; haloxyfop-P (=R-haloxyfop) and its esters; hexazinone; imazamethabenz-methyl; imizamox; imazapyr; imazaquin and salts such as the ammonium salt; imazamethapyr; imazethapyr; imazosulfuron; indanofan (MK-243), iodosulfuron and its salts and esters, such as iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium; ioxynil; isocarbamid; isopropalin; isoproturon; isouron; isoxaben; isoxaflutole; isoxapyrifop; karbutilate; lactofen; lenacil; linuron; MCPA; MCPB; mecoprop; mefenacet; mefluidid; mesosulfuron and its salts and esters, such as mesosulfuron-methyl; metamitron; metazachlor; methabenzthiazuron; metham; methazole; methoxyphenone; methyl-dymron; metabenzuron; metobromuron; metolachlor; metosulam (XRD 511); metoxuron; metribuzin; metsulfuron-methyl; MH; molinate; monalide; monocarbamide dihydrogensulfate; monolinuron; monuron; MT 128, i.e. 6-chloro-N-(3-chloro-2-propenyl)-5-methyl-N-phenyl-3-pyridazinamine; MT 5950, i.e. N-[3-chloro-4-(1-methylethyl)-phenyl]-2-methyipentanamide; naproanilide; napropamide; naptalam; NC 310, i.e, 4-(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl)-1-methyl-5-benzyloxypyrazole; neburon; nicosulfuron; nipyraclophen; nitralin; nitrofen; nitrofluorfen; norflurazon; orbencarb; oryzalin; oxadiargyl (RP-020630); oxadiazone; oxasulfuron; oxaziclomefone (MY-100); oxyfluorfen; paraquat; pebulate; pendimethalin; pentoxazone (KPP-314) perfluidone: p henisopham: phenmedipham: picloram: piperophos; piributicarb; pirifenop-butyl; pretilachlor; primisulfuron-methyl; procyazine; prodiamine; profluralin; proglinazine-ethyl; prometon; prometryn; propachlor; propanil; propaquizafop and its esters; propazine; propham; propisochlor; propyzamide; prosulfalin; prosulfocarb; prosulfuron (CGA-152005); prynachlor; pyroflufen-ethyl; pyrazolinate; pyrazon; pyrazosulfuron-ethyl; pyrazoxyfen; pyribenzoxim (LGC-40836); pyributicarb; pyridate; pyriminobac-methyl; pyrithiobac (KIH-2031); pyroxofop and its esters (for example propargyl ester); quinclorac; quinmerac; quinofop and its ester derivatives, quizalofop and quizalofop-P and their ester derivatives, for example quizalofop-ethyl; quizalofop-P-tefuryl and -ethyl; renriduron; rimsulfuron (DPX-E 9636); S 275, i.e. 2-[4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-(2-propynyloxy)phenyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazole; secbumeton; sethoxydim; siduron; simazine; simetryn; SN 106279, i.e. 2-[[7-[2-chloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-2-naphthalenyl]oxy]propanoic acid and its methyl ester; sulcotrione; sulfentrazon (FMC-97285, F-6285); sulfazuron; sulfometuron-methyl; sulfosate (ICI-A0224); sulfosulfuron; TCA; tebutam (GCP-5544); tebuthiuron; terbacil; terbucarb; terbuchlor; terbumeton; terbuthylazine; terbutryn; TFH 450, i.e. N,N-diethyl-3-[(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-carboxamide; thenylchlor (NSK-850); thiazafluron; thiazopyr (Mon-13200); thidiazimin (SN-24085); thifensulfuron-methyl; thiobencarb; tiocarbazil; tralkoxydim; tri-allate; triasulfuron; triaziflam; triazofenamide; tribenuron-methyl; triclopyr; tridiphane; trietazine; trifluralin; triflusulfuron and esters (e.g. methyl ester, DPX-66037); trimeturon; tsitodef; vernolate; WL 110547, i.e. 5-phenoxy-1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1H-tetrazole; JTC-101; UBH-509; D-489; LS 82-556; KPP-300; NC-324; NC-330; KH-218; DPX-N8189; SC-0774; DOWCO-535; DK-8910; V-53482; PP-600; MBH-001; KIH-9201; ET-751; KIH-6127 and KIH-2023.
The active compounds of the invention can also be used in combination with safeners. For use, the formulations which are present in commercially available form are, if appropriate, diluted in the customary manner, for example using water in the case of wettable powders, emulsifiable concentrates, dispersions and water-dispersible granules. Preparations in the form of dusts, granules for soil application or broadcasting and sprayable solutions are usually not further diluted with other inert substances prior to use.
The required application rate of the compounds of the formula (I) varies with the external conditions, such as temperature, humidity, the nature of the herbicide used and the like. It can vary within wide limits, for example between 0.001 and 10.0 kg/ha or more of active substance, but it is preferably between 0.005 and 5 kg/ha.
A. Chemical Examples
Abbreviations:
The % ages and proportions are by weight unless specified otherwise.
xe2x80x83in vacuo=under reduced pressure
xe2x80x83h=hours(s)